Street sign



A. SPRUNG STREET SIGN Filed Aug. 9,

Dec. 23, 1952 I N VENTOR Patented Dec. 23, 1952 TENT GFF'ICE STREET SIGN Abraham Sprung, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August', 1951, Serial No. 2415005 (Cl. 4t- 145) 3 Claims. l

This invention relatesto improvements in street signv display devices of that type primarily used in,v the supporting Vof street `signs at street intersectionsfand the like.

Street signs areA inherently subjected to rather hard-usage, Vbeing exposed lto all `kinds of Weather conditions which make vit essential that the sign structure be weather resistant and at the same time capable of displaying clearly names and other material which it may be desirable to have incorporated in the structure. As a result of the foregoing signs of the present type are made of 'fused porcelain enamel upon a suitable baci-:- ing and being so formed it is essential that the structures vbe securely .held in position in a manner-to eliminate possible rupture due to expansion and contraction and yet the structure must be constructed and arranged as to prevent undesirable rattling due to vibration caused by Wind, traffic or otherwise.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a holder for a sign plate of the type set forth which .is capable ci holding a pair of oppositely racing sign plates in parallel spaced relation and permit their insertion and removal quickly and by means or" a structure which embodies anti-.rattiing features and at the same time permits quick interchange of either or both of the plates and the assembly ci .platesin the frame.

Another feature o the invention is to provide a suitable frame for spaced sign plates for streets in which an element of the frame may vbe conveniently removed to permit separation of the longitudinal portions of the main frame for insertion of the sign plates, the removable portion of the frame incorporating features to facilitate the positioning and spacing oi the plates and simultaneously providing a lock for Ithe frame assembly.

An additional feature of the prese-nt invention is the provision of a removable end section of the sign holder frame having end projections which function as spacing tools during the insertion of the sign plates and which projections inherently provide `spring clips for securing the adjacent extremities of the holder to the removable section.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a spacer to be interposed between superimposed signs to permit their relative adjustment for display at any suitable angle, the spacer including a pair of units formed as integral structures and permitting securing of the sign 2 holders and their adjustment `Without the .addition oteXtr-a parts.

Referring .to the .drawing Fig. l is a lperspective view of a criss cross assembly.

Fig.`2 is a side elevation of the criss cross assembly.

Eig. 3 is a perspective view of one .of the iframes With'thelock portion removed.

Fig. vi is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the frame showing .the lock portion in, dotted line in partially removed position.

Fig, H5 is a fragmentary vertical section o'f the assembly shovvingithe upright connecting rod -m elevation.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view oi one of `the angular separator clamps.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through one of the clamp plates as shown on .line l--l of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical section Von line '8-3 .oi'Fig 2.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the upper end o'f a conventional tubularpost is shown in section by reference character l, the upper end of this post being provided with a capZ lheld in position on the end of the post by set screw 3 and .provided With a thickened central end .portion 4 formed With a 'threaded aperture for the reception Yof the threaded end f5 of an elongated bolt or rod 6. The cap 2 is provided with a transverse recess in its upper thickened portion defined by side Walls la for the reception of the lower longitudinal edge portion oi the sign frame supporting sign plates indicated by reference character A, .it being understood that a second sign is conventionally used at cross lstreets and supported above the sign A as indicated at B. For the purpose of supporting the upper sig-n B on the frame of the lov/.er sign A, .there is rprovided a dual separator angular clamp plate formed of superimposed parts, the parts being of similar construction and struck .from sheet metal to include certain features as .shown in Figs. 6 and 17. The parts of each clamp plate include an elongated ilat sheet metal center portion l0 having parallel side marginal flanges Hand end beaded projections I2. The side marginal iianges H embrace 'either the upper or lower frames of the signs A orB., while the end ilanges or projections IZ form spacers for these 'frames as show-n more clearly in Fig. 5. The central elongated at portion l0 of each of the clamp plates is provided with an opening through which bolt or rod E extends and arranged about the bolt or rod openings indicated at I4 are a plurality of perorations l5, several of which are left with tongue portions as indicated at I6 which are struck downwardly as shown in Fig. 7 so that when the plates are superimposed the tongues Iii of one plate l can register in any of the free annular openings I of the associated plate. This permits relative adjustment of the plates about the axis of the bolt or rod 6 to provide the desired angular relation between the signs A and B in accordance with the relative angles of crossing streets or avenues at the intersections of which the assembly may be utilized.

The holders for the sign plates are of channel form in cross section as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The holder mainly embodies a single channel element which is bent at two spaced points, indicated at to provide the intermediate end portion 2l corresponding to the height of the sign and desired spacing of top and bottom channel legs 22, the extremities 23 of which are bent towards and in alignment with each other and terminate in spaced relation, as best shown in Fig. 3. The legs 22 have aligned centrally arranged recesses 24 for the passage of the rod or upright bolt 6 and the flanges of the channel forming the structure are so spaced as to provide for the insertion of the spacing clips 25 which may be of any suitable number and which are arranged medially of the channel cross sections. The clips 25 have their extremities 20 bent at substantially right angles to the body of the clip, these bent extremities 29 providing spacers for retaining the sign plates in separated relation as is conventional in the art. Due to the nature of the material and structure of the f holder frame as deiined by the end portion 2l and the legs 22-23, these legs 22 may be spread as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4. The structure is such that their resiliency permits the insertion between the ends 23 of the sign plates without rupturing the frame structure and the plates are guided along the flanges of the holder frame and spaced by the clips 25 heretofore mentioned and which clips may be suitably fastened in position as by welding or other suitable means.

Interposed between the aligned inwardly projecting and facing extremities 23 of the legs 22 is an insert best shown in Fig. 3, this insert indicated by reference character 2l being of similar channel form as the main frame structure and of a length to fully, completely, and neatly ll the space between the extremities 23 in such a manner that when in position as shown in Fig. 2, the frame appears as a completely iinished i neat assembly. Extending longitudinally within the channel section 2l of the insert is a flat elongated strip 28, welded to the inner face of the base of the channel, and projecting as at 29 a desirable distance into the turned extremity 23 of the main frame structure. The extremities 30 of the strip extensions 29 are bent downwardly at an acute angle so that when the parts are assembled the bent extremity 30 will extend within the side ange at the bent portion of the main body adjacent the insert, as shown in Fig. 4. The width of the strip 23 corresponds to the width of the spacers 25 and is such as to normally and properly space the two sign plates at each side within the frame so that in assembly the CII tongues 30 which are provided with gradually tapered extremities 30 can readily be inserted between the plates at a partially deflected angle, rotated to act as a spreader for the plates, and then urged into position, it being obvious to one skilled in the art that when the tongue 39 at the end of the insert, as shown in Fig. 3, is urged into position, the lower leg 22 of the frame must be in partially expanded position to provide room for the nesting of the parts. The strip 2B is formed of suitable vresilient material to lend flexibility to the structure and inherently provide a certain amount of friction in engagement between the strip extension 29 and the adjacent inner faces of the end portion 23 of the frame. B-y provision of this structure the legs 22 when sprung to a parallel position, with the insert 21 in place, insure a sumcient binding action between the parts to retain the parts of the assembly in their properly associated relationship.

The sign frames and plates when assembled, as indicated, are bound in superimposed predetermined angular relationship on the bolt or rod 6 screwed into the cap 2, the signs A and B being spaced by the adjusting clamping clips of Figs. 6 and 7 and being bound in superimposed locked relation by a cap 3l which is screwed onto the upper threaded extremity 32 of the bolt or rod 6.

What I claim is:

l. In a sign holder for supporting and securing spaced sign plates, said holder comprising an elongated integral frame of U-shape, the arms of said frame being elongated and channel shape in cross section and terminating in bent-in spaced aligned extremities, spacer elements arranged medially within the channels of said arms and spaced from the sidewalls of said channels to retain the sign plates spaced therein, and an insert for completing the frame structure consisting of a body of channel form of a length representing the space between the spaced extremities, said insert including angular inwardly bent extremities for engagement within the bentin extremities of said arms and between the spaced plates.

2. The structure of claim l characterized in that the inwardly bent extremities for the insert body are formed as the bent ends of a strip, said strip being fixed to the base of the insert channel.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized in that the inwardly bent extremities of the insert project from the base of the channel forming the insert and are of angular form tapering at their free extremities.

ABRAHAM SPRUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nie of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,965,118 Higgins July 3, 1934 2,083,056 Cox June 8, 1937 2,142,571 Menke Jan. 3, 1939 2,192,561 Seeley Mar. 5, 1940 

